How to create a vivid character
Agree – everyone can describe Sherlock Holmes, but not every reader is as familiar with all the twists and turns of even such famous works as “The Hound of the Baskervilles” or “The Sign of the Four. Jack Sparrow, Robinson Crusoe, and Rodion Raskolnikov are examples of the same.
Get to know your character
Who would be easier for you to introduce into your story – a familiar friend or a new colleague from a neighboring department? Of course, the first option is more preferable, because a vivid character is someone about whom you know more. Consequently, you should be more aware of your character than you tell your readers – that’s the first rule. So how do you put it into practice?
Write a bio
This is a requirement for all of the more or less significant characters in your work, especially the main character. Biography can be written in free form or you can do it in the form of a questionnaire. Either way – try as much as possible to describe in detail the life of each character.
Examine the character in different situations
To get to know the character better – use the method of screenwriter Alvin Sargent. While working on the next movie, he placed his characters in different situations that, while not related to the main plot, it helped to better understand the characteristics of the characters. Subsequently, he may or may not have included these scenes in the script.
Think about what your character would do in the face of a terminal illness or sudden stroke of luck, what he would do, losing a good job or vice versa, achieving unprecedented success. The more of these situations you come up with, the more vivid the understanding of the image will be.
Prototypes
Many prominent characters in books have had their prototypes. These include the already mentioned Sherlock Holmes and Robinson. This is very convenient because you already have the lion’s share of information about the character. You can, of course, use this literary device, but you should beware of two dangers.
The first is that the prototype (or his entourage) may recognize himself in the description, and not everyone may like that, especially if you make him look bad. There have been cases in history where offended readers have filed lawsuits against authors.
Another problem that can arise with a prototype is the inability to give it the qualities that the story demands. On the other hand, some writers do just that, playing on contrasts and endowing him with unexpected character traits. This makes the character more memorable.
Bad vs Good.
Most writers make “good” characters the central figure of the narrative. On the other hand, forbidden fruit is sweet, and so authors such as Patrick Suskind in his novel Perfume, for example, choose not the best of humanity as their heroes. But whichever side your hero is on, he should be interesting to the reader – only then he will be well remembered and attract attention.
Evolution of the hero
Everyone knows how difficult it is to change yourself and your life – that’s why stories about development or degradation are so successful. The same should apply to your work. Throughout the story, your character should gradually change. By going through trials and overcoming obstacles, he will gain new qualities or he will get worse. It should not be too radical transformation – it will not look too believable. In genres like detectives or spy thrillers, the characters usually remain the same, but their evolution as a side effect of the plot only adds to the charm.
People remember vivid characters much better than elaborate and twisted plots. To create a captivating character, you first need to get to know him or her well. To do this, write a biography and study his behavior in different situations. You can also use prototypes, but be careful not to set yourself up. It doesn’t matter if your character is good or not – as long as he or she is interesting and evolves over time.